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WO2009108331A2 - Réacteur hybride à fusion et fission rapide - Google Patents

Réacteur hybride à fusion et fission rapide Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2009108331A2
WO2009108331A2 PCT/US2009/001213 US2009001213W WO2009108331A2 WO 2009108331 A2 WO2009108331 A2 WO 2009108331A2 US 2009001213 W US2009001213 W US 2009001213W WO 2009108331 A2 WO2009108331 A2 WO 2009108331A2
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
nuclear
fission
fuel element
deuterium
fuel
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Ceased
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PCT/US2009/001213
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English (en)
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WO2009108331A3 (fr
Inventor
Lawrence Parker Galloway Forsley
Jay Wook Khim
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Publication of WO2009108331A3 publication Critical patent/WO2009108331A3/fr
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Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21B—FUSION REACTORS
    • G21B1/00—Thermonuclear fusion reactors
    • G21B1/01—Hybrid fission-fusion nuclear reactors
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/10—Nuclear fusion reactors

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to the field of nuclear energy and more specifically to a hybrid fusion fast fission nuclear reactor.
  • the 1 MeV fission neutron energy must be moderated to .025 eV, where, for example, the 235 U fission cross section at 1 MeV is approximately 1 barn but increases to 580 barns for a moderated thermal neutron at .025 eV.
  • One MeV fast fission neutrons are moderated to thermal energies typically using either light or heavy water (CANDU reactor).
  • Fast fission reactors also depend upon a fissile chain reaction, but they require higher ratios of fissile fuel than light water reactors, because there is no moderator. They can breed fissile fuel from fertile actinides using the increased fission neutron flux while the fast neutrons will fission both fissile and fertile nuclei, but with greatly reduced efficiency due to the, 500 times smaller fission cross-sections.
  • the neutron fission cross-section, coupled with the neutron absorption cross-section and neutron energy cross-section dependencies are the driving factors in designing and controlling any fission reactor dependent upon a chain reaction in fissile material.
  • Titanium, scandium, uranium and other metal hydrides are routinely used to store hydrogen isotopes since they form hydrides ranging from TiH ⁇ to Th 4 Hi 5 .
  • Uranium will readily take up hydrogen isotopes at standard temperature and pressure (STP) and the hydrided form, UH 3 will easily dissociate and free the hydrogen isotopes at modest temperatures (400 0 C).
  • STP standard temperature and pressure
  • these gas loaded, hydrided forms are at comparatively low hydrogen isotope concentrations as compared to what one skilled in the art can accomplish using electrolytically loaded metal hydrides as taught by Tripodi in US Patent Number 7,033,568 ['568] which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • An alternative reactor design uses fertile fuel, 232 Th, to breed fissile fuel, 233 U, through neutron capture.
  • this breeder reactor requires a source of neutrons.
  • One method is to surround a fissile core, or "pin" with fertile fuel elements, and over time swap out the spent inner elements for the newly fissile outer elements.
  • New fertile fuel can then be placed on the perimeter to breed fissile fuel by neutron capture.
  • Other reactor designs have been modified specifically to burn spent fuel, such as the CANDU and fast fission reactors. However, all of these reactors depend upon fission neutrons that are too fast to efficiently fission fissile material without moderation, and to slow to efficiently fission fertile material.
  • an external source of very fast neutrons can be used such as from a laser fusion reactor (Slough, J. .”Suitability of Small Scale Linear Systems for a Fission- Fusion Reactor, Breeder, and Waste Transmutation", J. of Fusion Energy, 27:115-118. (2007)), a tokamak or an advanced accelerator.
  • the first two employ either deuterium- deuterium or deuterium-tritium fusion to produce very fast neutrons at 2.45 MeV and 14.1 MeV, respectively.
  • the accelerator produces GeV protons that shatter lead nuclei in a "log” producing fast spallation neutrons.
  • Boss Boss, et al, "Triple Tracks in CR-39 as the result of Pd-D Co- deposition: evidence of energetic neutrons", Naturwissenschaften, (2009) VoI 96:135- 142) documented the production of deuterium-deuterium (2.45 MeV) and deuterium- tritium (14.1 MeV) fusion neutrons using palladium co-deposition on non-hydriding metals. These energetic neutrons were observed and spectrally resolved using solid state detectors identical to those routinely used in the ICF (DoE lnertial Confinement Fusion program) experiments (Seguin, FH, et al.
  • Purely fertile material like 232 Th or non-fertile isotopes, like 209 Bi, may fission producing additional fast neutrons and energy up to 200 MeV/nucleon fissioned.
  • GNE reactors may consume fertile or fissionable isotopes such as 232 Th, 235 U, 238 U, 239 Pu, 241 Am, and 252 Cf, and may consume fission wastes and activation products in situ without requiring fuel reprocessing. GNE reactors may consume spent fuel rods without either mechanical processing or chemical reprocessing.
  • GNE reactor technology may be an improvement over proposed Generation IV fission reactor technologies (http://nuclear.enerqv.aov/aenlV/neGenlV1.htmh under development. GNE may: improve safety (no chain reaction), burn actinides (reduced waste) and provide compatibility with current heat exchanger technology (existing infrastructure).
  • GNE By employing a novel, in situ, very fast neutron source, GNE constitutes a new Generation V hybrid reactor technology, combining aspects of Generation IV fast fission reactors, the DoE Advanced Accelerator reactor, and hybrid fusion/fission systems. It may eliminate the need for uranium enrichment and fuel reprocessing and, consequently, the opportunity for nuclear weapons proliferation through the diversion of fissile isotopes.
  • Another advantage of one or more of the embodiments may be to provide a nuclear reactor with an internal source of fast neutrons.
  • Another advantage of one or more of the embodiments may be to provide a nuclear reactor that operates with fertile or fissile fuel.
  • a further advantage of one or more of the embodiments may be to provide a nuclear reactor that consumes its own nuclear waste products. [018] A further advantage of one or more of the embodiments may be to provide a means to fission spent fuel rods.
  • Yet another advantage of one or more of the embodiments may be to co- generate heat while consuming nuclear fission products and unspent nuclear fuel.
  • Still yet another advantage of one or more of the embodiments may be to co- generate power from a conventional steam/water cycle
  • a means to fabricate a highly deuterided actinide fuel element by the electrolysis of a heavy water solution (D 2 O) consisting of PdCb and a conductive salt with a cylindrical anode of a noble metal, a cathode consisting of a conductive high Z (greater than atomic number 46) material that doesn't form a deuteride, wound around a less electrically conductive actinide metal fuel element, a power source providing constant current to the + anode and the - cathode, an applied power profile for fabricating a PdD nanoalloy, by the co-deposition of a PdD nano-alloy on to the high Z cathode winding and said fuel element resulting in nuclear fission of the said fuel element using fast neutrons produced within the PdD nano-alloy and primary and secondary deuterium- deuterium fusion reactions within said fuel element.
  • An alternative embodiment results in a heavily deuterided actinide fuel element that is electrolytically loaded and then sealed against isotopic hydrogen desorption, requiring no further electrolytic loading.
  • Said sealed loaded fuel element may then be pulsed by an external acoustic, thermal, radio-frequency or other source providing short duration impulses resulting in periodic actinide metal lattice deuteride loading excursions and consequent neutron generation.
  • This embodiment may be operated independently of an electrolytic bath but with a thermal bath to remove the heat from said loaded fuel element fusion and fission processes.
  • Either embodiment may be used in a conventional nuclear spent fuel pool with a plurality of said deuterided fuel elements surrounding one conventional spent nuclear fuel element in a ring or other other geometry, or a plurality of said spent fuel elements further surrounded by an outer perimeter of spent fuel elements acting as fast neutron reflectors causing there to be a higher percentage of fast neutrons at the center of the ring or similar geometry of a plurality of deuterided fuel elements .
  • Said inner spent fuel elements and outer perimeter spent fuel elements will undergo neutron capture and fission with the highest percentage of fission occurring in the center where the neutron flux and neutron energy is highest.
  • the resulting fission heat can be used to co- generate heat in a conventional nuclear power plant where the spent fuel elements are stored.
  • the invention describes a hybrid nuclear fusion fast fission reactor in a vessel comprising an electrolyte solution comprised of PdCb a conductive salt and D 2 O; an anode of a conductive noble metal provided within said electrolyte solution; a cathode comprising a conductive high Z (atomic number greater than 46) material wound around a metallic actinide nuclear fuel element; a power source providing constant current to the + anode and the - cathode; an applied power profile for fabricating the PdD nano-alloy; and an electrolytically co-deposited PdD nano-alloy on to the high Z cathode winding and on said fuel element.
  • the said cathode is wound around said fuel element and acts as a neutron generator.
  • Said cathode is comprised of a composition of the non-deuteriding series selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, mercury, lead and bismuth.
  • the nuclear fuel element is electrolytically deuterided beyond the actinide-deuterium beta phase adapting it, by the electrolytic loading of deuterium, to provide lattice fluctuations which initiate primary and secondary deuterium-deuterium fusion reactions at sites in the actinide metal lattice producing fast neutrons. These fast neutrons fission the actinides comprising said nuclear fuel element.
  • a deuterided fuel element can be sealed with an amalgam of compounds to prevent isotopic hydrogen deloading through desorption. It further comprises an apparatus for pulsed control that produces acoustic, thermal, radiofrequency or other emanations attached to the deuterided fuel element that periodically enhances the local actinide-deuterium loading resulting in deuteron fluctuations. These fluctuations produce primary and secondary deuterium-deuterium fusion reactions and neutrons. [027] These neutrons fission the actinides comprising said fuel element.
  • a plurality of said deuterided fuel elements can be arranged to irradiate and fission a spent nuclear fuel element, or a plurality of nuclear spent fuel elements, with fast primary and secondary deuterium-deuterium fusion reaction neutrons.
  • a plurality of said spent nuclear fuel elements can be arranged around said deuterided fuel elements to act as fast neutron reflectors while also fissioning said spent fuel elements.
  • a nuclear spent fuel pool comprised of a plurality of said spent fuel elements and deuterided fuel elements as with a method for removing heat generated by the primary and secondary deuterium-deuterium fusion reactions in said deuterided fuel elements and from fast neutron fission of said spent fuel elements.
  • Figure 1 shows a Uranium-Hydride phase diagram.
  • a hydride loaded electrolytically can approach and exceed unit stoichimetry in the palladium system and similar loading may go into the mixed beta and gamma phases in uranium and thorium hydrides.
  • These fuel elements may be sealed and retain their hydrogen isotope loading for over two years with insignificant hydrogen isotope losses. There are three phases of fabrication.
  • Figure 2 shows a horizontal view while loading the fuel rod.
  • cross-section of the method where 11 indicates the cathode electrical feed wire attaching to the high Z cathode, 14, and 12 indicates the anode feed wire.
  • the cathode feed wire 12 is attached to a noble metal cylindrical screen that is the anode.
  • the high Z conductive wire, 14, wrapped around the high Z material, 13, is fabricated from an element (Z>46) or alloy and preferentially from, or containing, platinum, gold, mercury, lead or bismuth.
  • the high Z material, 13, is preferentially a fertile or fissile material that may be a new or used fuel rod.
  • 15 indicates the electrolyte which consists of PdCI2, a conductive salt and D2O.
  • the 15 can be comprised of metal salts instead, in which case the voltage on the cathode, 11 , and the anode, 12, are reversed.
  • the molten salts in the alternate embodiment may consist of eutectic KCI and LiCI salts.
  • the PdD nanoalloy formed around the spiral wound cathodic electrical conductor and neutron generator, 14, is as taught in the patent application of Boss ['49]. This patent application also describes the protocol for generating the PdD nanoalloy. The steps by which this occurs consists of first applying a low current, ⁇ .1 mA, until such time as the first neutron signal is detected, whereupon the current can be slowly raised but should not exceed .5 mA. These current densities are dependent upon the surface area provided by the anode and the cathode.
  • Figure 3 shows a vertical cross section of loading the fuel rod.
  • Figure 4 shows a representation of sealing a loaded fuel rod after Tripodi ['568]
  • Figure 5 shows a sealed fuel rod with two transducers that can be piezoelectric in nature.
  • FIG. 6 shows a possible configuration for nuclear waste remediation.
  • the deuterated elements are 20 arranged to maximize the fast neutron flux at the center.
  • At the center are conventional spent fuel elements, 21 , and the elements, 20, are surrounded by a perimeter of additional spent fuel elements, 24.
  • the elements, 24, act as fast neutron reflectors.
  • the elements in 24 are periodically swapped with the elements 21 that experience a faster fission burnup due to the higher fast neutron flux at the center
  • the cell operated for over two weeks at a constant current below 1 mA.
  • the first, background, gamma spectroscopy set ( Figure 8) was taken prior to operation, for a total of 5,585.8 seconds, or over VA hours.
  • the second data set ( Figure 9) was taken while the cell operated within 6 cm of the gamma ray detector for a total of 8,214.26 seconds or over 2 hours.
  • the background shows two background lines, potassium-40 ( 40 K) and a ubiquitous uranium daughter, protactinium-234m ( 234m Pa).
  • the second set of data shows the gamma lines emanating from the cell and includes both of the background lines.
  • the 95 Nb 4 I is a beta decay daughter of 95 Zr 40 that, in turn, decays to a stable isotope, molybdenum-95, 95 Mo 4 2-
  • the heat flux generated by both the radioactive decay, neutron-induced fission and deuteron-enhanced nuclear reactions can be used for the co-generation of power through a conventional water/steam cycle heat exchanger.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Conductive Materials (AREA)
  • Monitoring And Testing Of Nuclear Reactors (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur un réacteur hybride à fusion et fission rapide. Le réacteur hybride selon l'invention peut comprendre : une solution électrolytique composée de PdCl2, un sel conducteur, et de D2O; une anode dans un métal noble; une cathode composée d'un matériau conducteur à Z élevé (nombre atomique supérieur à 46) enroulé autour d'un élément combustible nucléaire actinide formant du deutérure; une source d'énergie fournissant un courant constant à l'anode + et à la cathode -; un profil de puissance appliquée permettant de fabriquer un nanoalliage de PdD; et un co-dépôt d'un nanoalliage de PdD sur l'enroulement de cathode à Z élevé et sur l'élément combustible nucléaire. Dans un mode de réalisation préféré, on stabilise l'élément combustible nucléaire actinide-deutérure issu de la décharge des isotopes d'hydrogène. Dans un mode de réalisation préféré, on démarre la fusion deutérium-deutérium dans l'élément combustible deutérisé et on entame la fission des actinides de l'élément combustible nucléaire deutérisé. Selon un mode de réalisation préféré, on entoure les éléments combustibles nucléaires utilisés d'éléments combustibles nucléaires deutérure qui vont entraîner la fission rapide des éléments combustibles utilisés. Selon un autre mode de réalisation préféré, on entoure les éléments combustibles nucléaires deutérure d'éléments combustibles utilisés qui agissent comme des réflecteurs rapides de neutrons qui vont également subir une fission.
PCT/US2009/001213 2008-02-25 2009-02-25 Réacteur hybride à fusion et fission rapide Ceased WO2009108331A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US6695908P 2008-02-25 2008-02-25
US61/066,959 2008-02-25
USNONE 2011-07-18

Publications (2)

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WO2009108331A2 true WO2009108331A2 (fr) 2009-09-03
WO2009108331A3 WO2009108331A3 (fr) 2009-12-30

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2023146577A1 (fr) * 2022-01-29 2023-08-03 Shijun Sun Réacteurs nucléaires de nouvelle génération fonctionnant avec du lithium fondu comme fluide de refroidissement et combustible secondaire
WO2023162286A1 (fr) 2022-02-26 2023-08-31 学校法人中部大学 Système et procédé de production d'énergie
US20240145111A1 (en) * 2010-01-28 2024-05-02 Shine Technologies, Llc Segmented reaction chamber for radioisotope production
US12444515B2 (en) 2008-05-02 2025-10-14 Shine Technologies, Llc Device and method for producing medical isotopes

Non-Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
.: 'Eleventh International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science', 2004, MARSEILLE, FRANCE article SPALLONE, A. ET AL.: 'An Overview Of Experimental Studies On H/Pd Over-Loading With Thin Pd Wires And Different Electrolytic Solutions.', pages 1 - 9 *
'12th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, Abstracts, 2005', YOKOHAMA, JAPAN article CHUBB, S.R.: 'Why Particular Nano-Scale PdD Crystals Tum-on Faster' *
BLANOVSKY, A. A SYSTEM FOR NUCLEAR WASTE TRANSMUTATION DRIVEN BY TARGET-DISTRIBUTED ACCELERATORS, [Online] 2004, Retrieved from the Internet: <URL:http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0401010v1 > [retrieved on 2009-08-12] *
MOSIER-BOSS, P.A. ET AL.: 'Use of CR-39 in Pd/D co-deposition experiments' EUR. PHYS. APPL. PHYS. vol. 40, 2007, pages 293 - 303 *
SAHIN, S. ET AL.: 'LWR spent fuel transmutation in a high power density fusion reactor' ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY vol. 31, 2004, pages 871 - 890 *
SZPAK, S. ET AL.: 'On the behavior of the cathodically polarized Pd/D system: Search for emanating radiation' PHYSICS LETTERS A vol. 210, 1996, pages 382 - 390 *
TAKAHASHI, A. ET AL.: 'Excess heat and nuclear products by D20/Pd electrolysis and multiboc fusion' ELECTROMAGN. MATER. vol. 3, 1992, pages 221 - 1 - 221- *

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US12444515B2 (en) 2008-05-02 2025-10-14 Shine Technologies, Llc Device and method for producing medical isotopes
US20240145111A1 (en) * 2010-01-28 2024-05-02 Shine Technologies, Llc Segmented reaction chamber for radioisotope production
WO2023146577A1 (fr) * 2022-01-29 2023-08-03 Shijun Sun Réacteurs nucléaires de nouvelle génération fonctionnant avec du lithium fondu comme fluide de refroidissement et combustible secondaire
WO2023162286A1 (fr) 2022-02-26 2023-08-31 学校法人中部大学 Système et procédé de production d'énergie

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